With two months left as governor, Charlie Crist can still leave a lasting legacy with his remaining judicial, board and commission appointments.

With a little more than seven weeks until he takes office, Gov.-elect Rick Scott is getting involved in the fight over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's numeric nutrient standards set to take effect Sunday.

On Friday, incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, continued to name members of his leadership team -- tapping Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, to serve as Republican conference chair and appointing two newly elected Republicans, Sen. Anitere Flores of Miami and Sen. David Simmons of Altamonte Springs, to serve as majority whips.

Karen Thurman announced Friday that she is stepping down as chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, following the route of her Partys candidates at the polls last week.

With the Legislature meeting on Tuesday for a special session, one-third ofthe House members were not in Tallahassee in the last session. Of the 120 members of the House that will convene, 37 of them won election for the first time in November.

A veto override planned by Floridas Republican legislative leaders is driving a wedge between major GOP donors, with business groups and health care giants Wednesday renewing their fight over a prescription drug bill.

WASHINGTON -- As he promised it would be, Barack Obama's presidency has been transformative, but not as he intended. Whether it lasts two or six more years, it is an exhausted volcano because its biggest consequence may already have happened: It has resuscitated the right, making 2010 conservatism's best year in 30 years -- since the election of Ronald Reagan.